Morocco's PAM party tops parliamentary election but falls short of majority

Morocco's Interior Ministry announced final parliamentary election results on Friday, confirming that the Authenticity and Modernity Party, widely known by its French acronym PAM, secured the largest share of seats.

PAM won 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, putting it ahead of all other parties. However, this total falls short of the majority needed to form a government independently.

Coalition talks ahead

With no single party reaching a majority, PAM will now need to enter negotiations with other parties to build a governing coalition. Such alliance-building is a familiar feature of Moroccan politics, where the multiparty system typically requires the leading party to seek partners after an election.

PAM was founded by a royal adviser close to King Mohammed VI, a link that has given the party notable standing within Morocco's political landscape since its creation, even as it competes as one party among several in parliament.

Attention now turns to the coming period, during which PAM is expected to hold talks with potential partners to determine the shape of the next government and its leadership. Until a coalition is formed and a new government approved, the country's political direction remains to be settled.